WJPA Sports

TORONTO (AP) — Kevin Gausman pitched into the seventh inning, Yohendrick Pinango and George Springer had two-run doubles and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-2 on Friday night for their third straight victory. After Springer scored Toronto’s first run in the third inning, Pinango drove in Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Daulton Varsho in the inning. Gausman (4-3) settled in after giving up a run in the first inning. The right-hander allowed six hits, one walk and had eight strikeouts. Pittsburgh starter Bubba Chandler (1-6) allowed three runs — only one earned — in five innings. The Pirates have lost five of seven to fall to 26-25. Gausman was pulled with two outs in the seventh inning with two runners in scoring position. Reliever Mason Fluharty then needed one pitch to get Oneil Cruz to fly out. Pittsburgh had two more runners in the eighth before Toronto manager John Schneider called on closer Louis Varland for a rare six-out save. The Pirates scored on a fielder’s choice, but left the potential tying run at third base when Jhostynxon Garcia grounded out. Varland has seven saves.

The WPIAL has finalized its Championship Week schedule, a framework that includes Fort Cherry baseball, Bentworth, Chartiers-Houston, Carmichaels, Jeff-Morgan & West Greene softball. Each will have their last WPIAL playoff games next week. Baseball championship games start Tuesday at EQT Park with third-place games next door at W&J’s Ross Memorial Park. Most softball third-place games are scheduled for Tuesday at various sites, though the Jeff-Morgan / West Greene game is listed for Wednesday.  The softball championships are Wednesday/Thursday at PennWest California’s Lilley Field. The teams from Bentworth, Chartiers-Houston, Carmichaels and Fort Cherry have all clinched berths in the PIAA tournaments scheduled to begin June 1. Only the Jeff-Morgan/West Greene winner qualifies for the state softball playoffs.

WPIAL Baseball Brackets 
Tuesday, May 26
1:00 pm 3A Final South Park vs. Ellwood City
1:00 pm 1A Third Place Western Beaver vs. Serra Catholic
4:00 pm 2A Final Fort Cherry vs. Neshannock, WJPA-AM (1450) Listen Here
4:00 pm 2A Third Place Riverview vs. South Side Beaver (winner only qualifies)
7:00 pm 4A Final Indiana vs. Elizabeth-Forward
7:00 pm 4A Third Place Derry Area vs. Hopewell (winner only qualifies)

Wednesday, May 27
1:00 pm 1A Final Eden Christian vs. Greensburg Central Catholic
2:00 pm 5A Third Place Montour vs. Thomas Jefferson
4:00 pm 6A Final Butler vs. North Allegheny
5:00 pm 3A Third Place Avonworth vs. Riverside
7:00 pm 5A Final Upper St. Clair vs. South Fayette

WPIAL Softball Brackets
Tuesday, May 26
3:00 pm 3A Third Place Ellwood City vs. Keystone Oaks at North Allegheny (winner only qualifies)
4:00 pm 5A Third Place West Mifflin vs. Thomas Jefferson at West Mifflin
5:00 pm 2A Third Place Laurel vs. Chartiers-Houston at North Allegheny
7:00 pm 4A Third Place Hampton vs. North Catholic at North Allegheny (winner only qualifies)

Wednesday, May 27
11:45 am 2A Final Bentworth vs. Neshannock, WJPA-AM (1450) Watch/Listen Here
2:15 pm 5A Final Shaler vs. North Hills
4:00 pm 1A Third Place Jeff-Morgan vs. West Greene at Pleasant Valley (winner only qualifies)
4:30 pm 6A Final Hempfield vs. Seneca Valley

Thursday, May 28
12:00 n 1A Final Union vs. Carmichaels
2:15 pm 3A Final South Park vs. Mt. Pleasant
4:30 pm 4A Final Elizabeth-Forward vs. Blackhawk